Australia

Daily Prayer
for Peace

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Gathering in Silence

Call to Prayer

Lighting of Candle

We greet you in the name of the One who calls us to peace.  Welcome to this time of worship. Each day in this Temple dedicated to the pursuit of peace, we pray to God for peace in our world.  In addition, each day we pray for a different country.

Today we will remember the people of Australia in our prayers.  Australia is located in the South Pacific Ocean. Australia’s aboriginal people have the longest continuous cultural history in the world, dating back to the last Ice Age. Australia fought alongside the British in both World Wars, but in the 1990’s debated about giving up British ties. Australia has withdrawn their support of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, and shares concerns for global warming and climate change.

Let us unite in our prayers for peace that we may be open to new paths to pursue that peace.  May God bless our worship.

Scripture Reading

Romans 15:5-7 INT

May God, the source of all strength and encouragement, enable you to live in perfect harmony with one another according to the Spirit of Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and one voice, you may praise the God of our Savior Jesus Christ.  Accept one another as Christ accepted us, for the glory of God.

Prayer for Peace

by Matthew Naylor, Drummoyne, New South Wales, Australia

Creator God--

The warbling of the magpies,
The screeching of the cockatoo,
The laughing of the kookaburra,
The Lyre bird having no sound of its own,
imitating other sounds, masquerading as a rosella,
a bell bird, or even a passing car.
All these sounds sing praise to your name.

Goannas move through the sand
Koalas drink from the oil of the Eucalyptus
Possums hide from the raging bush fires
Wombats find home in the coolness of the earth
Kangaroos bound through the bush.
The wattle, bottle brush, Jacaranda, wild flowers of the desert..
In all of these and more, your creation is seen.

The sandy plains of the simpson desert,
The baron land of the nalabor;
The beauty and isolated wilderness of the Kakadu;
In the glow of the Olgas at Ulluru,
And the tropical beauty of jungle forest.
Under the ground in the Kalbarri caves;
On the beaches, long, wide, deafened by the sound of the pounding waves.
Melbourne, Sydney, Muwoolunbaa, Widgiemoolotha, Narrogin,
Winnininnic, Gilgandra, Deniliquin, Perth, Talangatta,
Murwillumbah, Cootamundra....
In all these places, you can be found. 

Just as the animals, native to the isolated great south land, find peace, never preying off each other, may we too find peace.  How strange it is, O God, that we humans, so often thought of as sophisticated and great, live preying off each other, quick to attack, and live in war.

So our God, in this land of the strange and different, we pray that the people might also be strange and different; able to live in quiet inter-dependence, free from nationalism.

O God, for the great south land of Australia, blow over the deserts, through the rugged mountains, across the sunburnt plains, and into the lives of its inhabitants:  the aboriginal, the white Australians, the peoples from Asia, the migrant, the refugee....

Blow your wind of hope, of reconciliation, of forgiveness, of love.  Help them be free of the cobwebs which stop us loving you.  Amen.

Hymn

As the Deer— Sing a New Song #2

Prayers of the People

In peace we pray to you, Lord God—for all people in their daily life and work; for our families, friends, and neighbors, and for those who are alone.

The People Pray in Silence

We pray for this community, the nations, and the world. Today we remember especially your people in Australia, and for those who work for justice, freedom, and peace.

The People Pray in Silence

We pray for the just and proper use of your creation; for the victims of hunger, fear, injustice, and oppression.  We pray for all who are in danger, sorrow, or any kind of trouble; for those who minister to the sick, the friendless, and the needy.  We pray for the peace and unity of all who proclaim the gospel, and all who seek the truth.

The People Pray in Silence

We pray for the special needs and concerns of those gathered here as we confess our shortcomings. In your compassion forgive us, we humbly pray.

The People Pray in Silence

Please use this space to pray for any current concern or event in our community, city, state, nation or world that you feel needs to be held up to God for prayerful consideration.

The People Pray in Silence

Lord, hear our prayers, and send your Holy Spirit to be with us as we seek to know and do your will.  May we be at peace, in Jesus' name we pray.  Amen.

Sending Forth

We now conclude our service with ministry of music.  We invite you to remain in the quiet of this place and pray or meditate for as long as you may wish.
         
And now, Great God, bless us with peace as we depart from this house. Guide us continually that we may teach peace with justice, goodness, and mercy, for your honor and glory.

Ministry of Music